If you cover the outside with those little lintstrips, it might even make a pretty nice (if rather wasteful) vacuum. But who uses a Roomba for vacuuming anyway?

Awesome, let us know how it turns out!

Awhile ago I proposed an installation where one of these hamster balls is filled with chalk dust and put into a sealed room with a roomba, making a sisyphean loop of random messmaking and cleanup...if you're ever down in NYC, bring your hamster and let's make that happen too!

Edit: you meant a real hamsterball! I was thinking of this: http://www.weaselballs.com/

YES! I didn't know how to find that product, but thanks to Noah, i now know they're called Weaselballs. That's exactly what I'm thinking but I want a large one (like 8" or more diameter) and one which is transparent and has holes in it so gas sensors will work inside it.

So I figure i have to make one.

BTW the text on the Weaselballs.com website is kind of awesome...

I just ordered one and am going to try grafting it into a bigger ball. Or i'll make it out of lego. Whatever. I'm in NYC right now, actually but didn't bring the ball! How was I to know??

OK, update: http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/warren/2-6-2012/air-testing-hamster-ball-progress